Feel Like Makin' Love (Rock and Roll Trilogy #3)

by Stewart, Barbara

  “Ronnie, this is our friend Johanna; she came from England to join us this year!”

  And the little girl surprised them with a curtsy. “How do you do?”

  Johanna smiled and replied, “I do fine!”

  ~ ~ ~

  The music, as always, was the highlight of each evening as they sang around the fire pits and toasted marshmallows. Andy and Nathan were working with some of the kids, and they would play what they learned that day.

  “This is wonderful,” Johanna said, as they enjoyed the evening.

  “It’s all different for me this year. Perspective…” Geni replied. “You’ll see when you come back next year.”

  “I already think the same,” she smiled.

  ~ ~ ~

  On Tuesday when Carlee woke, she went to the bathroom and called out excitedly, “Hatchet, come look!”

  When she entered the bathroom, Carlee had pulled the t-shirt around her belly, smoothing it over the bump, which seemed to have grown overnight.

  “Look!”

  “Looks like she’s turned around some!” She reached over, gently running her hand over Carlee’s stomach, “She’s long today. Feel right here, there’s a foot.”

  “Oh my!”

  Hatchet tickled across her belly, and Carlee felt a flutter. “Hiney here,” she laughed, rubbing another place on her belly. “Ain’t life grand!”

  “Yes,” Carlee said, “Yes it is. I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “I’m thinkin’ I’m gonna have a wicked time departing. I’ve come to love you so.”

  “Don’t start already!”

  ~ ~ ~

  When she logged on to the computer that morning to check in at camp, she zoomed the screen so that all they could see was her face. Geni noticed that she looked bright this morning.

  “Good morning, caterpillars!” Carlee said excitedly. “Oh, I miss you guys so much! I can’t wait ‘til next year so I can squeeze you and love on you! I was thinking about caterpillars this morning when I got out of bed, but I have to show you why, and then I will explain. Hatchet, help please.”

  Andy and Geni watched more closely than anyone else, but they all watched and waited.

  Carlee slowly stood and smoothed the sundress she wore over her stomach and turned sideways. “My caterpillar grew overnight!”

  The adults and older kids in the room all cheered and clapped. The children just giggled.

  ~ ~ ~

  It was after nine that evening when Matthew got in. He had a bite to eat, and Hatchet went to her room to read and give them some alone time. “Gosh I missed you,” he told her as they snuggled on the sofa.

  “You too! As soon as you rest up a bit I have a surprise for you!”

  “Oh, now I can think of nothing else! Give it up,” he laughed.

  “Hatchet! Come on!”

  Carlee and Matthew went up the stairs and Hatchet was waiting. The door to the nursery was closed and Matthew waited for Carlee to open it.

  “Ready?” Matthew nodded and she threw the door open.

  “Wow! Look at this!” he grabbed Carlee and kissed her belly and Hatchet laughed. “This girl is gonna be so spoiled!”

  “The wee one too,” Hatchet laughed.

  ~ ~ ~

  That night in bed, Matthew held Carlee in his arms and whispered in her ear. “I love the room; it’s beautiful, and special, Carlee. The butterflies have so many meanings for us. My first thought was of Kyliejo, because she would have loved them being all over the walls. And then, camp, another huge part of us.” He paused, “I thought of your mama too, and even though I never knew her, I felt her as soon as I walked into the room.”

  “Me too. There’s still a lot to do. Brian and Malia came and helped us. It was fun!” She paused and rolled closer, facing him. “I have something on my mind.”

  “Do tell,” he said nuzzling her neck as his fingers slid under the t-shirt to caress her breasts.

  “Not that, although that is a constant thought,” she laughed. “Hatchet told me she’s thinking of retiring.”

  “Good for her,” he said and then realized that she wasn’t making an announcement, she was leading in to something else. He thought for a second, and then it hit him. She watched with a happy smile as she saw realization on his face.

  “Nanny Hatchet?”

  “Nanny Danni,” she laughed. “Your mom will be here, but mine won’t. I’ve grown to love her so, and she is such a caring person.”

  “I love it.”

  ~ ~ ~

  The crew from camp returned, and before Johanna and Hatchet were ready to depart, Carlee approached Andy.

  “I need to talk to you about something important.”

  “Everything OK?” he asked reaching over to rub her belly.

  “Everything is wonderful! I was thinking, you and Geni will be busy being newlyweds, and well, I won’t have my mama here to watch over us to make sure I’m doing it right…”

  Andy listened and didn’t know where this was leading.

  “Hatchet is retiring,” she said.

  “You want her to come here?”

  “If she’d do it. Matthew said Nanny Hatchet, I said Nanny Danni,” she laughed. “I haven’t mentioned it to her.”

  “You haven’t mentioned it because you can’t access the money?” he asked and she nodded. “Let’s sit down really quickly and figure this out and see if she’s interested.”

  “Oh, I hope she says yes!”

  She did…

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Andy and Geni were in the process of moving to the house they’d purchased just down the street. The days were full and busy. Carlee and Matthew were getting the rest of the house the way they wanted it, and with her school work complete, she went to work with Thomas two days a week. If she got tired, Matthew would come and get her. He was busy with the next ad campaign for Diego Garcia. There were various stages, “from bald and beautiful” to the stage her hair was at this point- almost four inches of growth. He was working directly with Diego. This was important to him, and he was coming to the U.S. frequently to meet with Matthew because he knew he couldn’t leave Carlee; it was getting too close.

  ~ ~ ~

  Thomas was busy helping to get things going with filming in Jacksonville. Carlee sat in on filming several times and was pleased with what she saw, but stuck to her decision not to see anything that was being put together in pieces. Thomas read the book and only told her that she would be pleased.

  Hatchet was working on getting herself ready to make her journey to Florida. She wasn’t sure who was more excited, herself or Carlee.

  Andy’s house sold, and everything but the studio made its way to Jacksonville. The Davis house now belonged to Carlee and Matthew. Their furniture had arrived, and Carlee had put her touch on every room in the house.

  ~ ~ ~

  On October 17, Andy’s 69th birthday, he and Geni said simple vows in the backyard of their home along the St. John’s River. Geni joked that the date would never give Andy an excuse to ‘forget’ their anniversary. It was a cool evening, and strings of white lights strung through the trees, appearing like stars in the night. It was a small, simple, family occasion, and everyone from back home came to witness the celebration. Andy’s other family, the Traveler guys, were there, and he felt Beth’s presence as well.

  Carlee told him the same thing when they had a moment together. “It’s like she pops in to tell us things will be alright – to move forward, or that she’s happy. I don’t know how to explain it. The sonographer who told us the baby was definitely a girl introduced herself to us as Beth, Papa, and Matthew and I just felt happy.”

  “I hope she never leaves us, Carlee.”

  “She won’t.”

  ~ ~ ~

  By late October, the weather had cooled down in northeast Florida. The leaves were departing the trees, and a cool wind came in off the river. Carlee was content to stay home with her feet up. The extra twenty-five pounds that she’d gained were
cumbersome for her small frame. Everyone worried that she hadn’t gained enough weight, mostly because she’d lost so much when she went through treatment, but the doctor was pleased. In the evenings, she would lie back on the sofa, and Matthew would rub her feet, and in bed, she would fold into the hollow of his body as he curled around her, his hands always softly rubbing her stomach until they fell asleep.

  ~ ~ ~

  Carlee and Matthew were counting the days; everyone was. It was almost time for Kylie Elizabeth to arrive, and baby-excitement swirled through the family. Hatchet would arrive on the 31st, and Carlee was happy. Her delivery was scheduled for November 10. Nanny and Pops were ready to make the trip north with Kimmy when they got the call.

  ~ ~ ~

  Andy would watch her when they were together and think about the past year and all they had all experienced. He proudly marveled at the strength of this beautiful young woman, her courage in the face of the unknown, and the love she shared so freely with others. He would close his eyes and see her with the kids at Butterfly Camp, and then with Kyliejo, and he knew that she would be a great mother. And while no one had said so yet, he’d heard her talking with Dean Rollins from the Cancer Foundation on several occasions and suspected that there were greater reasons for Hatchet to come as Nanny Danni.

  He would watch Matthew, who doted on her, showered her with love, and he remembered the look on his face when he caught his first glance at Carlee in London. He was her perfect match.

  Life is good, he thought.

  ~ ~ ~

  On Sunday, November 3, 2019, Carlee woke, and Matthew wasn’t in the bed. She called out, “Matthew!” He came running from the bathroom. Calmly she told him, “Call the doctor, and get Hatchet; my water broke.”

  “Danni!” he called out, as he dialed the doctor, and she came quickly from the other end of the house. She was ready when she got to the room and went to Carlee to help her get dressed. As she was dialing Andy’s number, Matthew was grabbing keys.

  “We’re gonna be early, Papa! On our way to the hospital!”

  ~ ~ ~

  It was a week sooner than they thought, but it didn’t matter - Kylie Elizabeth was ready. She joined the world at 11:50 AM, and as soon as things settled down, Hatchet stepped away to make a call. Today would have been Kyliejo’s ninth birthday and this was a gift.

  “Johanna, she’s here! Kylie Elizabeth Davis.” And together, they shared a bittersweet moment.

  ~ ~ ~

  Carlee lay in the bed with the six-pound, one-ounce, seventeen-inch bundle of love in her arms, and she watched the two men in her life, both about to burst at the seams. Matthew was snapping pictures one after the other to make sure he didn’t miss anything.

  Geni was beside the bed lightly stroking the baby’s head. “Auburn,” she said.

  It’s the same color as my mama’s, Carlee thought and suspected that Andy was thinking the same thing.

  “Her eyes will be like Matthew’s,” Carlee said.

  “They’re somewhat blue now, but they’ll probably be brown like yours,” Geni said matter-of-factly. “Gingers usually have brown eyes.”

  “They’ll be smoky and blue like Matthew’s; she’ll be unique.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Soon, the room was filled with family, and somehow, Carlee dozed through the visit. Matthew sat beside the bed and whispered in her ear after a while. “Thank you…”

  Carlee opened her eyes and smiled as he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. The room was filled with love, soft chatter, and excitement. “Thank me?” she whispered back.

  “Thank you for picking me and for being my wife.” He stroked her hair and nuzzled closer, kissing her neck, “And for bringing that beautiful, beautiful baby into the world. She’s perfect, Carlee.”

  And at his words, she started to cry. “I didn’t do it alone…”

  “I have something for you,” he told her. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small velvet pouch and put it in her hand. “I had it made specially, just for today.” She pulled the string on the pouch and removed a thick silver teardrop. Etched in the bottom with a loopy script was the word HOPE. The O was a diamond and hanging in the center of the teardrop was a daisy.

  “Oh, Matthew, it’s so beautiful,” she said, and started crying harder.

  ~ ~ ~

  Hatchet observed and told the others, “OK, loves, Carlee needs some good rest. We should leave and allow her and Matthew a chance to be alone with the wee one.”

  As they hugged her and made their way out of the room, Carlee suddenly felt relieved. Andy went to her bedside and leaned closer.

  “I love you sweet g… woman,” he corrected. “I’ve never seen anything more perfect in my life.” Leaning closer, he spoke softer, “Your mama is looking down on these moments, happy that life goes on. I love you,” he said again, and kissed her forehead.

  ~ ~ ~

  When everyone was gone, a nurse entered. They’d had her breastfeed the baby the first time before she left the delivery room, but now she was ready to show Carlee how to do it on her own. As she explained, and showed Carlee how, Matthew watched.

  “Carlee,” he asked, “Do you mind? Just for us?” He reached for the camera, and she smiled, giving him approval.

  A moment later the nurse said, “You’ve got this, I’ll be right back.”

  She returned with a soft foam oval that she placed on the bed beside Carlee. She turned to her and said, “You may use the bassinet provided, but she was inside you, living with the sound of your heartbeat for all these months. She felt warm, and loved, and protected. She will likely sleep better with your smell and that familiar heartbeat.”

  Matthew loved the vision before him, Carlee on her side with the baby so close to her; he grabbed the camera and started snapping pictures again.

  “I’ll give you time to rest now.”

  “Wait,” Matthew said. “If I get the camera set, may I crawl in behind Carlee and you snap off a few pictures?”

  “I’d be happy to do that,” she replied, and Matthew slipped gently in beside Carlee and wrapped her in his arms as the nurse took pictures. Finally, she put the camera on the table beside the bed and started for the door. “Rest; she’ll want to eat again in about two hours.”

  ~ ~ ~

  The weeks that followed were busy ones for a new family learning their way. Filming was in full swing, and Matthew took Carlee to the set, when she felt like going, but being home with Kylie made her happier than anything she could imagine. She loved that Matthew worked from home most days. Thomas had given him an office to work from, but for now, home was where he wanted to be, as well.

  Andy was there as often as possible. Geni smiled each time he’d ask her if she wanted to join him, remembering that he’d never had this experience in his life, and she would go, but mostly, she let him go alone.

  My favorite vision in the entire world, at this moment in my life, is Carlee holding that sweet love wrapped in her mama’s quilt, sitting in the rocking chair. Kylie coos to her as they rock, and I think nothing can possibly be more beautiful than that, he thought.

  Hatchet, an endearment that they all had a hard time breaking the habit of, was a blessing, and Carlee loved her being there with them. After the first of the year, Carlee planned on working part-time, from home, for the Cancer Foundation and she knew that Hatchet would be a big help when she did.

  ~ ~ ~

  The holidays passed with much merriment and excitement for the year ahead. In January, they were filming the final scenes for “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” at the cottage in Eleuthera. Andy went to the island for one last trip, to complete the sale to the developer. He packed and crated the things that he wanted Carlee to have to ship back with the film cargo. Geni didn’t ask when he didn’t offer for her to go with him; she knew it was closure. After they filmed the last scene, he walked the beach alone, one last time, and boarded the private plane for home.

  ~ ~ ~

  Andy left the studi
o in Marco’s capable hands, content to step away from all of that, but he had something in his head – a grand finale of sorts. He took Geni south to finish packing up his house. While they were there, he went to the studio to work on some music he’d been tweaking.

  Marco and Addy married on New Year’s Eve, and they stayed in the area so that Marco could work with new talent. Addy was no longer touring and worked in the studio with Marco, finding that she loved that part of the business. After all those years on the road, she was ready to settle down – but not completely.

  ~ ~ ~

  Each morning began with a video call to Carlee to see how Kylie was; Andy couldn’t imagine what a change a tiny, precious, bundle of love, his ‘sweet love,’ could make in all of their lives. And each day, Geni sat with Marco at the soundboard as the process began. Addy breezed in and out to visit and offer suggestions.

  Andy recorded “The Blessing,” and he and Addy recorded “It’s Not Because I’m Lonely” as a duet. There was also a song he’d written in honor of Kyliejo that he would release in time for camp in the summer. He’d made arrangements for all the proceeds to go toward building a chapel at the camp - something Johanna felt was missing when she was there – a quiet place to reflect. The title of the song was, “A Whisper and a Prayer.”

  We speak of you and whisper your name

  We send a prayer out to those who shared your life

  It’s not right that you’re not here

  Our lives will never be the same